Game News Russian studio Owlcat Games to develop Pathfinder CRPG, Chris Avellone onboard as narrative designer

[Infinitron]

Tags: Chris Avellone; Owlcat Games; Pathfinder: Kingmaker

From out of nowhere the news came out today that we're getting a Pathfinder CRPG. Its title is Pathfinder: Kingmaker and the developers are Owlcat Games, a team within Russian publisher My.com, which is best known on the Codex for publishing former Obsidian tank MMO Armored Warfare. And that's not the game's only connection with Obsidian, because it turns out that (surprise surprise!) Chris Avellone is involved with it as well, in some sort of narrative design role. Very little known is known about the game right now. There's an official website with a single screenshot and a press release:

First cRPG Pathfinder Game in Development by Owlcat Games and Game Designer Chris Avellone

Owlcat Games studio is proud to unveil it is developing Pathfinder: Kingmaker – the very first isometric computer RPG based on the highly popular Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Additionally, helping shape the game’s narrative is Chris Avellone, who has worked on a variety of RPGs over the years, including Fallout 2,Fallout: New Vegas, Planescape: Torment, Neverwinter Nights 2, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker will take players on a tour through the infamous Stolen Lands, the dangerous and turbulent territories well known within Pathfinder fandom. The computer RPG will revisit familiar characters and well-known locations of the series’ lore as well as treat players to brand new adventures, deadly foes and unforeseen twists and turns. Fans of the fantasy pen-and-paper RPG will experience its epic, heroic universe in new ways while computer RPG gamers will discover their favorite genre in a more contemporary light.

"I’m a Paizo fan, and a Pathfinder fan. I like the setting, the art style, the adventure paths, the card game, and the iconic characters. I’ve enjoyed playing Pathfinder with my friends (we used to be part of an Ocean’s-11 style game), and I’ve enjoyed the comics, the world, and the overall setting," said Chris Avellone."I’m excited by the prospect of bringing Pathfinder to the computer RPG world, and hope gamers will enjoy playing in the Pathfinder universe."

Owlcat Games is working very closely with Paizo Inc., the company behind the world-famous pen-and-paper RPG, to ensure a truthful digital adaptation of Golarion.

“I am very excited to be working with Owlcat Games on the first computer RPG for Pathfinder,” said Lisa Stevens, Paizo CEO. “Kingmaker is one of my all time favorite Pathfinder Adventure Paths, and from what we've seen from Owlcat Games, it is in good hands and promises to be an amazing addition to the computer RPG field.”

Pathfinder: Kingmaker will challenge players as both adventurers and rulers as they will be able to claim explored lands and carve their own kingdom from the wilderness. Kingdom founding will go beyond simple stronghold-building to become a true reflection of the hero’s character and choices made throughout the game. Each kingdom will be a living thing shaped by alignment, choices, allies and the hero’s ability to lead his or her people.

Owlcat Games is excited to show its unique ideas for Pathfinder: Kingmaker during PaizoCon 2017 this month in Seattle. For more details about Pathfinder: Kingmaker, please visit the project’s official site: www.owlcatgames.com
​

Seems like it's still very early days for this game. According to Rock Paper Shotgun, the developers aren't even sure how they're going to fund it yet (despite working for My.com!). The website mentions the Infinity Engine games as inspirations, so I'm assuming it will be a real-time affair. The game looks pretty generic, doesn't it? I suspect this is not the sort of thing people were expecting Chris Avellone to work on as narrative designer after he ditched Obsidian.

 

[MRY]

I suspect this is not the sort of game people were expecting Chris Avellone to work on as narrative designer after he ditched Obsidian.

If Chris can make enough money from these kinds of projects, he could find a couple other experienced RPG developers as partners and together found an company that would be like a truly independent Black Isle Studios. Then he could finally make the games he wants, right?

Spoiler

"That was your first wish."

 

[undecaf]

"Meh" echoes all around and after every word.

 

[Dorateen]

Make it party-based (as in real party-based, the player creates multiple characters) or go home!

 

[Delterius]

The man turned Kickstarter Reward into an actual position but can't figure out Arcanum's UI.

 

[Excidium II]

Looks like shit.

 

[abnaxus]

So he's working for the Russians now.

:mrpresident:

 

[vonAchdorf]

The art style's ugly, but that's pathfinder.

Interesting that they build a game around "Ultimate Campaign".

 

[FeelTheRads]

Are the Pathfinder people even aware that it's ugly? I mean, are they like "whatever, we don't care, we're not spending money on art" or are they in denial about this being something SPESHUL?

 

[Excidium II]

Are the Pathfinder people even aware that it's ugly? I mean, are they like "whatever, we don't care, we're not spending money on art" or are they in denial about this being something SPESHUL?

People genuinely think modern western fantasy art looks cool.

 

[skyst]

The website mentions the Infinity Engine games as inspirations, so I'm assuming it will be a real-time affair.

Confirmed to be RTwP on a Facebook post.

edit: citation granted
Pathfinder: Kingmaker It's still early days and we'll be revealing more details over the next couple of weeks. Gameplay will be realtime with pause.
Like Show more reactions
· Reply ·
6
· 11 hrs

 

[vonAchdorf]

The animu-with-western-characters-and-lots-of-leather-straps art style made them sell many copies, so why should they bother?

 

[Chamezero]

a new warcraft 3 expansion, finally!

 

[StaticSpine]

So he's working for the Russians now.

:mrpresident:

:russiastronk:

 

[sstacks]

Great galloping smokeballs

 

[Eddard Stark]

To give it context, here's a brief loredump: Owlcat Games' creative director Alexander Mishulin is of the old Nival fame. He worked on Evil Islands, was lead on Silent Storm, Sentinels expansion & HoMM V. After that all went to shit, he wasted years on Allods Online and fucking Skyforge. I guess you can only do so much crappy MMOs but the question remains: how much of a talented man remains after 10 years of going to the Dark Side. E.g. Tim Cain is clearly still recovering after his Wildstar stunt as evident by the pretty awful Stronghold in PoE.

 

[V_K]

Avellone-quality narrative with Russian-quality writing?.. This is gonna be epic.

 

[l3loodAngel]

a new warcraft 3 expansion, finally!

You'd wish. Second best strategy series after SC. If the game would have a quarter of it's strategic depth and tactical depth it would easily make top 10 RPGs.

 

[deuxhero]

The name, taking place in the "Stolen Lands" and CEO comment says it's based on the Kingmaker Adventure Path. That one is actually pretty damn good, well suited for a cRPG (Non-linear, uses a real world map with exploration, has replay value.) and I've always said it's what a Pathfinder game should use as the official campaign. Using NPC companions (which the website indicates are at least an option) actually has some positives for Kingmaker: Fairly early in you form a government and have to fill all the positions with NPCs you know. In a PNP game the player characters will fill positions which will lead to party conflict (but not PVP) over kingdom direction. If the player created a full party you'd have 4 guys in perfect harmony.

Hopefully being Russian (with a Silent Storm dev in charge) allows it to be turn based and full party creation. The screenshot worries me because the guy seems to be mid-movement while another guy is attacking (though it could be like Silent Storm where characters keep their "in movement" animation between turns if ordered to make a long move).

 

[Aenra]

Tim Cain is clearly still recovering after his Wildstar stunt

Wildstar begun as something old-school; in terms of time needed, mechanics, target audience (ie for adults), etc. It begun as traditionally tab-targetted, sans telegraphs and other gimmicks, it begun as a sandpark where crafting was serious business (think SWG inspired) and on a par if not better than raid tiers gear.
Not coincidentally, when the people wearing suits and ties demanded raidz, lootz, kidz and flashy lightz, Tim left them.

That's a few facts for you. I know it's the Codex, so feel free to ignore it all
And because again, this is the Codex and i need state the obvious, no, am not trying to make excuses for him. I just don't make strenuous attemps to link irrelevant topics into one coherent, uniform argument.

 

[deuxhero]

I think it is one PC with companions.

Customize your character and companions with a multitude of options available in Pathfinder to make the perfect party capable of overcoming insurmountable challenges.

Again, not terrible for Kingmaker where friction between the PCs was intended. This will shoehorn the PC into being charisma based though.

 

[Infinitron]

The name, taking place in the "Stolen Lands" and CEO comment says it's based on the Kingmaker Adventure Path. That one is actually pretty damn good, well suited for a cRPG (Non-linear, uses a real world map with exploration, has replay value.) and I've always said it's what a Pathfinder game should use as the official campaign. Using NPC companions (which the website indicates are at least an option) actually has some positives for Kingmaker: Fairly early in you form a government and have to fill all the positions with NPCs you know. In a PNP game the player characters will fill positions which will lead to party conflict (but not PVP) over kingdom direction. If the player created a full party you'd have 4 guys in perfect harmony.

Hopefully being Russian (with a Silent Storm dev in charge) allows it to be turn based and full party creation. The screenshot worries me because the guy seems to be mid-movement while another guy is attacking (though it could be like Silent Storm where characters keep their "in movement" animation between turns if ordered to make a long move).

Confirmed to be RTwP on a Facebook post.

 

[deuxhero]

 

[aratuk]

"MC Abalone indicted for disclosing Obsidian narrative secrets to potato overlords"

 

[aweigh]

i remember when the term "non-linear" would excite me and conjure images of limitless adventures in the rpg.

now it is a huge red flag that the game will have bad design.